The embodiments relate to piezoelectric materials and in particular to active fiber composites comprising piezoelectric materials.
Piezoelectric materials can be arranged as fibers and combined with electrodes to yield active fiber composites. Hagood, IV et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,869,189) teaches composites for actuating or sensing deformation. The piezoelectric fibers are arranged in a parallel array with adjacent fibers separated by a soft polymer. Hagood further teaches flexible conductive material extending along the axial extensions of the fibers for imposing or detecting an electrical field.
Wilkie (U.S. Pat. No. 6,629,341) is directed to a method of fabricating a piezoelectric composite apparatus. Wilkie teaches a piezoelectric macro-fiber composite comprising a PZT-5 piezoelectric ceramic material formed into a wafer.
Chiang et al. (U.S. patent application publication number 2006/0102455) teaches an electrochemical actuator. The electrochemical actuator includes a support system including both top and bottom fibers. The top and bottom fibers are inert and are used to support the electrochemical actuators.